1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of wagering games, wagering games using playing cards, wagering games using a point count system of evaluating hands, and a game played by one player's hand against a dealer's hand or banker's hand to determine winning events.
2. Background of the Art
There are essentially three types of casino card game formats that are available to players. A first format is based on poker ranks, in which individual cards and combinations of cards have ranks or strength based upon the relative probability of a hand being provided with a specific number of cards. For example, the least frequent (lowest probability) hand in a five-card poker game that is readily identifiable is the Royal Flush comprising the Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten of a single suit. This low probability hand is deemed the highest ranking hand because it is readily identifiable, even though the actual probability of that hand occurring is identical to the probability for specifically any other predetermined five cards, such as the 2 of clubs, 4 of diamonds, 5 of spades, 10 of diamonds and Queen of hearts. Other ranked low probability hands are Four-of-a-kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three-of-a-kind, Two Pair and Pair. Different numbers of cards dealt to players can be used as the hand-forming basis and the probability of different hands occurring may vary among different games and different numbers of cards, but the hands are generally referred to in terms of Poker ranks, whether 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or more cards are used. Casino war is a one-card poker game variant, for example.
A second format of game is based on the count or point value of individual cards and the collective value of points counted in hands, usually played against a dealer or banker. The most common games using point count systems are blackjack (twenty-one) and baccarat. In blackjack, the value of cards are based on their numerical value shown, with face cards (Jack, Queen and King) counting as 10 value or point cards and Aces being 1 or 11 at the option of the card holder. In baccarat, cards again have their face values, but Aces are always a value of 1 and face cards are always valued at 0 (zero) points.
A third format of casino table games is fairly rare and is often found as a side bet event, where cards are matched in suit, rank or suit and rank to establish winning events. Some games combine these games with side bet wagers in blackjack or baccarat hands that player's cards and/or dealer's cards alone or in combination can provide poker ranks of high rank out of specific combinations or total combinations of cards in the hands. Alternatively, in the play of Casino War™ games, wagers may be placed on the total point count of the players initial card, the sum of the player's and dealer's initial cards, and the like.